Gunmen Kill ASP, Four Residents in Benue Attack as Police Launch Manhunt

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the killing of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and four residents during a deadly gun attack on Abande community in Kwande Local Government Area of the state.

The slain officer was attached to the 13 Police Mobile Force, Makurdi, and was on special assignment in the community when the attackers struck.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Edet Udeme, disclosed the incident in a statement issued on Wednesday in Makurdi. She said the Divisional Police Officer in Jato-Aka received a distress call on February 3 reporting that suspected armed bandits had launched a coordinated assault on police personnel deployed to Abande community and local residents.

Udeme said the ASP sustained fatal injuries in the attack, while four civilians from the community were also killed.

Following the violence, security forces swiftly moved into the area to contain the situation and prevent further bloodshed. According to the police spokesperson, combined teams of police operatives and other security agencies have been deployed to secure Abande community, carry out intensive searches, and restore law and order.

She added that the bodies of the deceased have been recovered and deposited at the mortuary.

Udeme further revealed that the Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Ifeanyi Emenari, has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to immediately take over security operations in Jato-Aka.

The Deputy Commissioner has been directed to deploy additional mobile police personnel and Armoured Personnel Carriers to intensify operations, track down the attackers, and ensure their arrest.

The Benue State Police Command expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Abande community, assuring residents that decisive steps are being taken to apprehend the perpetrators and restore lasting peace to the area.